Spring spreader



Oct. 27, 1925.

- 1,558,485 5. L. E. KLINGBEIL SPRING SPREADER Filed Dec. 30, 1924 g 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2/ a 7 ,7 /9a. r 16 7 [a Etc-1.2.

Elwuzntoz G.L.E. KLINGBEIL.

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Oct. 27, 1925. 1,558,485

- G. L. E. KLINGBEIL SPRING SPREADER Filed Dec. 30, 1924 2 Sheets-Shut 2 lnwntoz is threaded in bar 7 and serves to force the follower plate 10 and consequently the wedge plate 9, with its associated bank of wedges 20, forcibly toward the bank of wedges 21, carried by the wedge plate 9, said wedges being caused to enter in unison and forcibly between the several leaves of the spring to separate said leaves and to permit the insertion of lubricant therebetween. The wedges and 21 are held in position within the wedge plates by providing them with substantially T shaped shanks 22, the stems of which lie in relatively narrow slots 23 formed in the wedgeplates while their heads 24: lie in somewhat wider slots formed in said wedge plates. To hold the banks of wedges against undue separation with respect to each other while at the same time permitting a limited yielding of the wedgeslongitudinally of the wedge plate to permit them to seek the most advantageous position in entering between the leaves of the springs, rubber filling blocks 24 are provided, said filling blocks having relatively narrow portions 25 adapted to lie within the slot 23 at the opposite ends of the banks of wedges and somewhat wider heads 26 which lie within the wider portions 25' of the slot of the wedge plates. Thus, as long as these rubber filling blocks are in position the wedges are so held that they extend transversely with respect to the wedge plates but with either of the rubber filling blocks removed, the wedges may be moved freely in the slotted portions of the wedge plate and may be turned in longitudinal alinement with said plates to disengage said heads from said plates and consequently permit the ready removal of said wedges.

To render the filling blocks more elastic they arepreferably provided with a row of openings 2?, though these may be omitted if desired. In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a modified way of holding the wedges against turning with respect to the wedge plates, this method being utilized, when desired, in lieu of employing the rubber filling blocks. In said Fig. 7, the wedge plate 8 carries wedges 21 and shims 21 which wedges comprise T shape bodies consisting of the shanks 21 and heads 21 which leaves in effect, slots 21 at the opposite sides of the wedges and shims and which slots receive the ribs 30 of the wedge plate 8. A wire 31 extends longitudinally through openings 82 formed in the several wedges and shims to thereby hold these elements against turn- .ing. Thus these wedges cannot move from a position of transverse alinement with respect to the wedge plates, to a position of longitudinal alinement and consequently there is no danger that they will fall out of the wedge plates. The shims may or may not be used, as desired. They are not necessary when the wedge plates are rendered interchangeable as in Fig. 1, for example. The wedge plates 8 and 9 are provided with ribs 33 and 34 respectively (see Fig. 1), which correspond with ribs designated 34 in Fig. 7 and the follower plate 10 is provided with a rib or extension 35 adapted to enter between said ribs of the wedge plate which happens to be disposed adjacent thereto. This aids in preventing accidental transverse dislodgment of the wedge plate 9 even after the screw 18 is loosened. The operating screw 19 is provided with an angular head 19 for engagement by a wrench or other tool. It is provided with a rounded end 19 which engages in a correspondingly shaped recess, formed in the follower plate 10. The provision of the handle 10' upon the follower plate 10 provides means for manipulating the tool during the time that it is being placed in position with respect to the spring.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that itincludes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a pair of rods, a cross-bar connecting said rods, a screw threaded in the cross-bar, a follower plate slidable upon the rods with which said screw is engaged, a wedge plate, a bank of wedges floatingly mounted therein, interengaging means between the back of the wedge plate and the face of the follower plate, and a backing plate opposed to the wedges of the wedge plate.

2. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the backing plate is separable by a lateral movement from one of the rods to permit of the passage of the rods over a wedge plate, a bank of wedges therein. en-- gageable with respect thereto and being removable therefrom by being turned to a longitudinal position with respect thereto, and filling blocks between said wedges and said plates to prevent turning movement of the wedges with respect to the plates.

4. In a tool of the character described, a wedge plate, a bank of wedges'therein engageable with respect thereto and being removable therefrom by being turned to a longitudinal position with respect thereto, and elastic filling blocks between said wedges and said plates to prevent turning movement of the wedges with respect to the plates;

5. In a tool of the character described, a plate having an elongated slot formed therethrough, one part of which is wider than another, a plurality of wedges having slotted edge portions adapted to engage in the said slot and removable therefrom by being turned to positions 01": longitudinal alinernent with respect thereto, and rubber filling blocks adapted to fit within'said slot of the plate to hold the wedges against turning movement.

6. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said plate has a longitudinally slotted portion at one end and a hooked portion at the other end.

7. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said plate is provided with a longitudinally slotted portion at one end, a hooked portion at the other end, and means carried by said hooked portion for prevent ing lateral movement of the plate.

8. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said plate is provided with a longitudinally extending slotted portion at one end, a hooked portion at the other end, and a threaded element traversing the hooked portion, to prevent lateral swinging movement of the plate until said threaded element is retracted.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GOTTLIEB L. E. KLINGBEIL. 

